Acknowledgement
by reckless-rage
Summary: Yukimura knows that Sasuke loves him, in more ways than one. Now, all he has to do is to get that stubborn boy to confess...because Yukimura wants to hear it from Sasuke's own mouth. YukimuraxSasuke, light shounen-ai.


**My very first Samurai Deeper Kyo oneshot. Something random inspired by my sudden fangirling for Sasuke and Yukimura. XD I love these two together!**

**I have tried to make the characters IC, but since this is my first time writing them down, it might be terribly OOC. I'd pictured Yukimura to be a terrible flirt...**

Their pursuers were fast, Sasuke acknowledged, about as fast as he and Yukimura, because they seemed to be keeping up easily. Sasuke hit the eave of a roof and took off again in a light graceful leap, taking a backward glance only to see the twelve black-clad men still a step behind him, swords unsheathed menacingly.

"Yukimura!" Sasuke shouted to his lord, his hand tensed and ready to draw his Muramasa sword. "I don't think we can run any further!"

"Do you plan on fighting, then?" Yukimura asked calmly. Keeping this insanely fast speed seemed to be almost effortless for him, but Sasuke's sharp golden eyes noted slight differences. Their breathing were both getting forced – they had little choice but to stop and fight.

Taking an unexpected sidestep, Yukimura grabbed Sasuke by the collar and dragged the boy down among the buildings and into the welcome safety of the shadows.

"Wha-?!" Sasuke exclaimed.

"Shh." Yukimura whispered. "This way!"

The two of them stole silently through the dark alley. They had lost their chasers – for now – but Sasuke had no doubt they would be back. They had perhaps a minute or two before the pursuers were hot on their trail again.

"You and your stupid prying ways." Sasuke grumbled as he followed his lord form shadow to shadow. "Why did you have to go and spy on Hidegata-dono while he had all his Shadow Masters in the vicinity?! You know I can take on two, maybe three, of them, but all twelve would be insane!"

Yukimura gave a sheepish laugh. "I must've gotten my information mixed up." He admitted. "Still, with you around, I have to say I feel pretty safe."

"Stop fooling around!" Sasuke growled. "We're going to get killed if we don't reach the rest of the Sanada Ten in time!"

The Shadow Masters were so silent, even Sasuke caught only the barest whisper of cloth as they came up behind them. He turned just in time, his Muramasa sword clashing against those of one of the Shadow Masters. Had he been a split second slower, it would've sliced Yukimura right across his back.

"Yukimura! Get out of here!" Sasuke yelled, locking the Master's sword so that it couldn't break free.

"You were the one who said that three Masters were too much for you." Yukimura commented mildly as he unsheathed his sword. Four more Shadow Masters appeared at the end of the alley, swords drawn and glinting in the moonlight. "Looks like the rest of the team is coming. You're going to need some help, Sasuke."

"No!" Sasuke exclaimed. "Get out of here, you idiot!"

"Now, now, it's not very nice calling your lord an idiot." Yukimura smiled in amusement.

"I'm one of the Sanada Ten! I'm replacable, and you're not!" Sasuke was furious; Yukimura could tell that much. He wrenched his sword free, sending the Shadow Master stumbling backwards.

Yukimura paused. "How about I offer you a compromise?" He asked finally.

The first Shadow Master lunged back, trying to step aside Sasuke to get at Yukimura, but the boy struck out swiftly, his sword practically hissing through the air as the blade descended. The enemy dodged nimbly out of the way, slashing his sword against Sasuke's shoulder, drawing first blood as the cloth ripped.

Yukimura took a step forward.

"_Yukimura!_"

"My offer stands. I'll do whatever you ask – including running from here if you so wish – if you'll say something to me."

"Say what?!" Sasuke asked, thoroughly exasperated by his lord's stubborness and recklessness. "Are you going to ask me to confess my love to you?! Whatever makes your deluded mind work – just get out of here already!"

"My, Sasuke-kun, you're such a clever little ninja. How did you know I wanted you to say that?"

Sasuke froze, and using that opportunity, two of the Shadow Masters struck at the same time, both of them aiming to take down the young boy.

_Damnit! _Sasuke cursed even as his finely honed skills reacted to the threat, twisting his body out of the way. _I won't be able to make it!_

He half-blocked the sword of the first attack, and wasn't terribly surprised when he looked up and saw Yukimura blocking the other.

"Are you going to say it, or do I have to fight alongside you?" Yukimura winked.

Sasuke startled even himself when he found himself turning hot around the cheeks. With unexpected strength, he pressed back the Shadow Master and sped to help Yukimura.

"If I say it, will you really leave them for me to handle?" He asked softly, almost inaudible under the clash of swords.

"Definitely." Yukimura gave the boy a grin even as he dodged a scything blow. "Just admit that you love me. Isn't it easy?"

Sasuke gave it only the briefest of consideration. It was embarrassing, but there were only the Shadow Masters and Yukimura around. Once he killed all the Shadow Masters, there wouldn't be anyone else who could blab about this (unless Yukimura chose to). Besides, Yukimura's safety was his first and only priority.

"I...I really like you, Yukimura! Now get out of here!"

Yukimura chuckled. "Those two sentences seem contradictory, Sasuke-kun. I didn't quite catch what you said. Could you repeat that with more, ah, _vigour?_"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Yukimura was playing with him, he just knew it!

"I love you, Yukimura-san! Happy now?"

To his utter and complete surprise, Yukimura turned his back on the two Shadow Masters he had been battling and threw his arms around the young ninja, hugging him.

"Wha – Yukimura! Get _off _me! You're going to - "

"You really said it!" Yukimura now seemed to be cuddling the indignant ninja, completely oblivious to the apparent danger of the Shadow Masters. "You're such a cute boy, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke's eyes widened as he caught sight of a Shadow Master looming behind Yukimura.

"Congratulations, Sasuke-kun! You finally said it out loud!"

Sasuke's mind finally made the connection as the Shadow Master removed his hood, revealing Benitora's smooth features underneath the mask. Sasuke glared at Benitora, then proceeded to whack Yukimura over the head.

"You planned this, didn't you?" He stormed, trying desperately to hide the hot flush that was spreading across his cheeks. "You cornered me into – into saying that disgusting - "

"It wasn't so bad, was it?" Yukimura looked at the flustered boy slyly. "I knew you would never had said it without a bit of a push from me."

"You-!"

"Yukimura's right." Kyo smirked as he removed his mask. "You're such a baby to like a wimp like him."

Sasuke's hand shot to the hilt of his sword automatically.

"Aw, come on, Kyo-han! We'll leave these two alone!" Benitora grabbed a prostesting Kyo by the neck and forcibly dragged him away. Yukimura dismissed the rest of the hired 'Shadow Masters' with a wave of his hand.

"That looks like it hurts." He said softly, bending to inspect the flesh wound on Sasuke's shoulder.

"It's superficial." Sasuke shrugged it off. He sheathed his sword and stood, pointedly ignoring Yukimura. "We should get back to the Sanada estate."

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Yukimura's voice was a pouty whine.

Sasuke turned his head to pin a dark glare on his lord. "What do you expect?"

"But you _do _like me, don't you?" Yukimura came up behind the boy and wrapped his arms around him. Sasuke flinched at the sudden contact of skin.

"S-Stop it!"

"Sasuke-kun...even if you don't like me..._I _like you, you know."

Sasuke froze.

"Do you hate me now?"

"T-That's not it!" Sasuke said defensively, his little body still and alert underneath Yukimura's touch. "I - "

Yukimura had to bend to brush his lips across the back of Sasuke's neck. He held the boy in his arms, trapped in his warm embrace. Sasuke suppressed a shiver. This was _Yukimura _they were talking about, his lord whom he had sworn to protect with his life. To take advantage of this would be -

Yukimura sighed and dropped his head on Sasuke's uninjured shoulder. "I guess you really do hate me now." His voice was quiet and rather sad.

Sasuke tried to turn to see his lord's face, but Yukimura's chest was still pressed against his small, defensive back. "I think – we should stop this now - "

"Why?" Yukimura breathed into Sasuke's ear, making him jump.

"Because!" Sasuke was flustered. His emotions roiled like mirrors in his wide, golden eyes.

"You're so cute when you're flustered." Yukimura chuckled, pressing his lips against Sasuke's throat and laughing even more when the boy jumped at the contact. "Why are you so tense?" He wondered if he should continue on to more...delicate...matters.

"_Yukimura-saaan!_" Sasuke almost wailed. He struggled to free himself, but Yukimura could be strong when he put his mind to it.

"Say it again." Yukimura said suddenly. "Say that you like me, and I'll let you go."

"Really?"

Yukimura laughed inwardly at Sasuke's miserable voice. He was torturing his poor, loyal ninja, he knew, and he was thoroughly enjoying it.

"Really." He promised. "Say it again and I'll let you go."

Sasuke was silent for a moment. Then, he wriggled around in Yukimura's embrace until they were face to face.

"You promised." He warned. Taking a deep breath, he stood on tiptoes and kissed Yukimura lightly on one cheek.

"I-I like you." He said quickly, embarrassed.

Yukimura couldn't help it. He hadn't expected Sasuke to be _that _forward. Besides, whose heart wouldn't melt when confronted with Sasuke's adorable face?

"You're so _cute!_" He pounced on the poor boy.

"Waah – _Yukimura! _You said you'd let me go!"

"Just one more hug!"

"NO! Get away, you perverted pedophile!"

"Ah, but you like this particular pedophile, don't you?"

"I'm going to _kill _you if you don't get off me now!"

**-reckless-rage-**

**Constructive criticism is very much welcomed! How was it? Weird, odd, funny, terrible??**


End file.
